Fastener supplying mechanism



Feb. 14, 1933. P. R. GLASS FASTENER SUPPLYING MECHANISM Original .Filed Sept. lO, 1929 AI V 1 gin is divided and scoop the latter from the mass.

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 Uhll'i STATES PERLEY R. GLASS, OF WAYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A COREOR-ATION OF NEVI JERSEY Original application filed September 10, 1929, Serial No. 391,657. Divided and this application filed September 26, 1530.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding fasteners from a hopper to a raceway and is herein illust-rated as embodied in a construction more especially lcsigned 'to feed lacing-hooks. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited to use in supplying fasteners of the type mentioned., although for convenience it will be described in terms relat` ing to that type.

The subject-matter of 'the present invention is also illustrated and described in my copending application Serial No. 391,657, filed September l0, 1929, of which this application is a division.

The most approved type of hopper for supplying lacing-hoolts to the raceway of a hook-setting machine comprises a rotary feeding member of well-known disk form having a series of notches by which its man u into equally spaced hookshaped blades. The disk is arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis so that its blades will dip into a mass of lacing-hooks lying below the axis. The thickness of the blades vis less than the depth of the throats of the lacing-hooks, the throat-s being the spaces between the heads and the shoulders of the lacing-hooks. Consequently, the blades enter the throats of some of the lacing-hooks As each blade traverses the upper half of its cycle of rotation each lacing-hook lodged thereon slides along its leading edge and thence to the trailing edge (back edge) of the blade next in advance, and is discharged therefrom b v the force of gravity when that edgel is suitably inclined and in register with the receiving end of a raceway.

lSuccessful operation of a feeding member of this type requires interrupting its rotation when the trailing edge of each blade is exactly in register with the raceway, the duration of the dwells being commonly about one-half second and the steps of rotational movement being of about the same duration. Moreover, to avoid bending or breair` ing the blades in case the feeding member encounters some abnormal obstruction, such as an improperly lodged lacing-hook, it has been common to provide operating mecha- Serial No. 484,824.

nism capable of yielding though designed to drive the feeding member intermittently under normal conditions. One example of such a mechanism is illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States Nlo. 811,839, granted February 6, i906, on my application. However, no operating mechanism heretofore provided to drive a feeding member intermittently with a yielding action has also been capable of arresting the feeding member at its intended positions of dwell. Accordingly, it has been customary to provide a friction brale and to rely on that to arrest the rotation of the feeding member after each driving impulse imparted thereto, but the results obtained with vsuch a combi nation are uncertain because the blades ofl the feeding member sometimes overrun the rac-eway and at other times they stop short of registering with the raceway. These errors of operation cannot be entirely avoided in former constructions because the effectiveness of a friction brale is altered by dirt and oil and is subject to other variable factors, one of which is the momentum of the feeding member. v y

1With a view to avoiding such errors, a-n object of the present invention is to provide improved mechanism for rotating a feeding member step by step and arresting it at ceri tain predetermined positions without sacri-` ficing the importantfeature of a yielding element in the driving train to guard against damage to the feeding member whenever its rotation is otherwise arrested as by some abnormal obstruction.

Accordingly., a feature of the invention consists in a novel combination comprising a rotatablefeeding member and resilient drivingl mechanism by which periodic power impulses are applied with resilient effec-t to turn toe feeding member step by step under normal conditions, and by which the feeding member is prevented from overrunning certain predetermined positions of dwell. Thus when, as in the illustrated construction, the feeding member is arrested as its blades are brought exactly into register with a racevvay, one of the common causes of unsatisfactory operation is avoided. Preferably, and as Y away, ofthe operating mechanism included herein illustrated; the driving' mechanism is constructed to arrest the, feeding member `coincidentally with 'Y the terminationv of each F Figfl isa side .elevation of a hopper from which fasteners `are fed to a raceway leading therefrom, the view including improved mechanism, embodying `the present invenf tion, for operating the fastener-feedingmemberlocated-in the hopper; J 1

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;partlybrolren in-F ig. 1,and includes a "portionof the hop; per in vertical section, thedirectionof the n ism as shown Fig. 1 except that the parts .occupy different positions; i i

' Ffg. 4 isalongitudinal section`- of a resilient extensibleiconnecting vlink l included in'f Yeach of thepreceding guresjand intersecte'dby line IVe-IV of Fig.` 2;

i iii the piane indiciiied byline v v @f fFig: 4.-;

rig.y 5 is ii erpslsfseciionief; the! said link "F ig. A6 is a perspective viewof aratch'et member and a sleeve member which,'when assembled as shown in Figs. 1 andB;A provide for regulating lthe positions atwhich the .blades ofthe feeding member dwell; and

" F ig. 7 Qisaperspective view on a largerV scaleshowinga fragment of a racewav and a fragment of one of the blades of the feeding member in registering relation,alacingV hook beingjlodged on the blade ofthe feeding member and about 4 toy gravitateY therefrom nto the'raceway.

' The hopper 10, represented Fighembodiesa construction commonly used to supply lacing-hooks to theraceway of a machine for inserting and clenchingth'e lacing-hooks.

The fragmentary' structure indicated at 100.`

vis a; portion nof the -franiei of ahook-setting 'machine of the type illustrated and in` my copending application above referredv Vto,"a` nd is the'sup-portfto which the hopper 10 isattached The-raceway,a portionof which is -indicatedat 1 1, leads from the hopper 10 toconduct the. lacing-hooksto the naechanismby which they are to be inserted and clenched'. The upper'end 'of the raceway exficiently to 'insure tends intothe hopper 10and is inclined sufp t gravitation'ofthe lacingl hooks lodged thereon. Y

The hopper 10'is provided with a rotatable fastener-feeding member Y12 -of well-known type in the form o'fja disk, the margin of l whichis out away ftoform a series of hooln shapedfblades f13. This .feeding memberis arangedto rotateabout azhorizontal axisso that theblades 13 will dip `into-a mass of lacL ing-hooksy lying in the hopperJfthe'bladesbeforboth rotating theV feeding described ing formed to pick up some of the hooks by entering the throats of those that lie incertain positions. A lacing-hook 50 is represented as having become lodged on the leading edge ofthe blade Aatithe lower right of Fig.

l 1. Thefeeding member 12 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow in this figure, as a result` ofwhich the lacing-hook slidesalong the leading edge of the blade by4 l dwell in thatposition while the lacing-hooks view of fFig. 2`being from left towright of j' gravitate lifrom the registered 'blades to- 'the Y Y raceivay-Q To insurel the passage lof the lac- FignB isV a view of the operating mecharegister,l a lacing-hook'becomes obstructed at the point of transfer fit' will not only interfl rupt the [delivery oflacing-hooks to the racehe trailing .edge 14 ofthe blade nextl wayv buty may: also,1ins`ome cases, arrest the subsequentV turning of Athe lfeeding member;

' 'lo Aguard"against faulty register thefpres'- V'ent-'invent-ion provides improved mechanism n'iember 12; step bystep and Varrestingit at berV ailiXed with the shaft.` The feeding member is devthe termination l of each driving impulse'. VvThe feeding memto a Ashaft 15 `joui1jialcd1in.'a'Y bearingl, afd'rivingrconnection being af1 Hforded by :a vkey 17 '(Fig.- 2) projecting' into the feedingmember from a collar 18 integral l "tachable from the 4shaft but is secured there- 'Y to by a ynut A19 arranged to clamp itagainstA Y collar 18.V A` washer" 20 of frictional i material; such 'as leather, is'intcrposerl be'-` I tween the collar A18"ar`id thlel` bearing '16 for the purpose of providing a brake to maintain thej feeding member frictionally against accidental turning movement during `its pe-V iiodsofmdwell. I againstthe washer 20 is'maintainedlby a icompressi on spring 21 surroi'i'nding the shaft land compressed betivc'en'a washer22ffandv aV ico'liar 23.V 'Tliis collar is aiiixedv totlie shaft buttliewasher 22 issustained against i end wise movement' by a sleeve' 24'inteiposed between it andthe bearing 16. rllhe 'sleeve 24 `is spliiiedfto theV shaft-and, is surrounded.` Vand driven aratchetJwheel 25 (Fig. 6)

ing equal to thenumber/of blades l3 with carried b thesleeve 24. This construction;

the number ofteeth in the ratchet-wheel be- Hwhich the feeding*membery 12 isprovided. Asegmental flange formed ont-he ratchetf'. wheel 1s abutted 'by tw'o' opposed'screwsfQf ie raceway sleeve Q4 also serves a fulcrum for latory patri-carrier 2S. An operating mounted on a pivo 30 carried er 28 anc is provided with a 31 arranged to cooperate with the the ratchet-wheel. A. compression ed the member l:

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conditions the .sp 41 of the part 39 against rmed on the part The in.; is connected to the arm vot pin 43. while the part is .he wrist-pin 35. if, While operating, an obstruction pre- 50 ve ti-on cf the fee-dine member l2 the o notion of the v. -pipV 35 will he l in distension of the link.

"i t hugh which the ...Mins oi he arc thi sin travels is co der-ably greater cle in which the Consequently. zl-

ne wrist-pin travels at a uniform "need 'the oper:

.e i .E v we to and rio n step of rotation tl ore initiallj pawl is caused f iic motions.

to itsL terminal lim:A A. It is to be observed that the feeding member 12 is brought to a state of rest positively by the lug` 31 while the latter is seated in any one of the notches 33, but after the completion of each operating stroke of the pawl and while one of the blades of the feeding member is in register with the raceWay 1l as shown in Fig. 1, the lug is lifted out `of the notch that it has occupied during the feeding stroke just completed. For this purpose the hub of the arm 36 is provided with a boss 44 arranged to raise an extension 45 formed on the pawl 29 at the instant when the wrist-pin 35 reaches the neutral or deadcenter position shown in Fig. 1. The length of the boss 44 is sufficient to maintain the lug 31 out of engagement with the ratchet until the lug has been moved clockwise out of register with the notch. Thereafter the lug 31 rides back over the next tooth of the ratchet and eventually dro-ps into the next notch 33 as shown in Fig. 3. The friction of the washer 2() (Fig. 2) is sufficient to prevent turning movement of the feeding member while the lug 31 moves from notch to notch of the ratchet-wheel.

Any suitable mechanism may be provided 1. An apparatus for supplying fasteners from a hopper to a raceway leading therefrom, comprising a fastener, feeding member rotatably mounted in the hopper in cooperative relation to the raceway, and resilient driving mechanism by which periodic power impulses are applied with resilient driving effect to turn said feeding member step by step under normal conditions, said mechanism being provided with relatively movable abutting membersby which the feeding mem.- ber is prevented from overruning certain predetermined positions of dwell.

2. An apparatus for supplying fasteners from a hopper to a raceway leading therefrom, comprising a fastener-feeding member rotatably mounted in the hopper in coo-perative relation to the rac-eway, and resilient driving mechanism by which periodic power impulses are applied with resilient driving effect to turn said feeding member step by step under normal conditions, said mechanism being provided with relatively movable abutting members by which the feeding member is arrested coincidentally with the termination of each driving impulse.

3. An apparatus for supplying fasteners from a hopper to al raceway leading therefrom, comprising a fastener-feeding member rotatably mounted in the hooper in cooperative relation to the raoeway, and driv.

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^ ,igimehanism:finauaingia marea vvrrheeifv and la'r'eciprocated operating pavvll'by which the? feeding memberis-'rotatedstep by step,

said ldriving mechanism 'having means to arrest` the" -feed'ingi member at 'the' completion .y ofthefeedinglstroke." 7-

, Y Y 4J-An apparatns forfsupplying fastenersf froma hopperfV to VV'a racevvay leading there-l from, comprising a ,feedingl memberA rotat-k vably mounted inthelhopperand having a 15; Ain apparatus fon-supplying fai-:tenere from a hopper to a raceWay leading therefrom, comprising `a feedingnlember vrotatably'mounte'd in the'hopper andhaving a series" of fastener-feeding bladesl arranged" to lregister Ysuccessively 'vvith the raceWay`,-a`

notched Wlieel-Kioperatively'oonnected to said feeding member, drivingmechanism includlng reclprocatory operating member prolvided'With'a-driving'lng forengaging the notches msaidvvheel successively, and driven l means'arrangedto disen'gageV said-lng from, v the notched Wheel after the" latter has! been arrested by the lugQf.

' "6; f An Vapparatus for i supplying fasteners from' a hopper jto a vracewayv, leading there;

from, comprising a-fastener-siipplying member,'a reciprocatory operating pavvl,Y saidV .pavvlandthez teeth of said-Wlieelybeing form'ed not -onlytfo 'drivefthe Wheel but also 1 berfretatably' .mounted inI the hopper, a

toothedyvheel rigidlyV related'rto "said Vmemm'ovdto andfro`,- and means driven in timed t relation t'said crank' to disengage the-'pavvl 4 from,

from' said Wheel Whenever 'said crankA passes toothed 'Wheel rigidlyrelated i to 7' )sai d member, reciprocatory' pavvl arranged topper; ,Y A ate said' wheel, "aV crank 'byfftvhich'v djfpa'vvjl isfmoved to and fro', andnieansrigidly re-VV Y esigere engage ksaid pavvl y from the ratchet-Wheel after the completion of each operating stroke of th'elQ-vvll if f v F 9.k A mechanism for imparting step-bystep rotation to a rotary member for feeding fasteners from a supply-hopper, said mecha- '.nism comprising a ratchet-Wheel by which the. rotary member is driven, a. reeiprocatory operating pawl arranged to drive the ratchet-Wheel, means arranged' to move the pavvl toand fro Withl a yieldable action in the driving directionandwith a'positive action inthe. reverse direction, and driven means arranged to disengage` the pawl from the ratchet-Wheel after the completion -of each operative stroke of the pavvl.

l0.v A mechanism for imparting ystep-bystep rotation to a rotary member having a series of blades for feeding 4fasteners vfrom a hopper into a racervay, said mechanism coinprising a ratchet-Wheel by which said rotary member o''ierated, an operating paWl arranged to drive said rat-chet-Wheehdriven meansarranged, to move' said pawl to and fro, and transmission means rigidly connectving'said ratchet-Wheel and said rotary memberandl provided with adjust-ing means for f regulating the angular relation of the ratchet-Wheel and thenrotary member. lli. A mechanism for imparting step-bysteprrotation to a rotary memberv having a series of blades for* feeding fasteners lfrom a hopper intol aracevvay, said'm'echa'nism, comprising a ratchet-Wheel in coaxial relation to said rotary member, anoperating pawl arranged todrive lsaid ratchet-Wheel, driven ,means arranged to move said paWl to and'fro, andV articulatedy coupling means by which rotation vof said 'ratchet-WheelV is transmitted to said rotary member, saidrcolipling means including. adjusting means by which theangular relation of said ratchetjvvheel and s aid rotary member may be regnlated. to bring about yregister ofsaidblades with the raceway. g l In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothisspeciiication.

' Palerme-GLASS.

latedfto'saidcranlto disengage the pawl i' one Ofitsdead-center positions."

' 8." A1 f mechanism Vfor imparting "step-by.-v

step rotation to-a rotaryfmemberfor feedi ing fasteners from` afsnpjply-hopper, said mechanism eomprising a ratchet-Wheel by 

